Seoul's zoo has a new tram with battery that is one-fifth the size of a typical EV battery and doesn't need overhead power wires to keep it charged. The prototype is the world's first electromagnetically-charged tram. Its batteries receive a continual power charge from power strips buried along the travel path.
The Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)-built zoo train will serve as a model for electric-powered buses and proximity charged trams that can operate without overhead cables.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Proximity-charged Trams
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing proximity-charged trams that eliminate the need for overhead power wires.
- Underground Power Source
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Exploring underground power sources for electric vehicles that can offer continuous charging.
- Electromagnetic Charging
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Advancing technology for electromagnetically-charged transportation, such as trams and buses, to enable convenient and efficient charging on the go.
Where This Applies
- Transportation
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integrating proximity-charged trams and electric-powered buses into the transportation sector to reduce reliance on overhead power cables and promote sustainable mobility.
- Electric Vehicles
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Applying underground power sources and proximity-charging techniques to enhance the efficiency and convenience of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles.
- Renewable Energy
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Expanding the use of underground power sources for transportation and exploring their potential as a renewable energy solution for other industries.
